Body of boy, 14, found in River Thames in 11th water-related death during heatwave

The body of a 14-year-old boy has been recovered from the River Thames making him the 11th person to die in water-related incidents during the recent heatwave. Police, fire and ambulance services were called to the River Thames near Donnington Bridge, Oxford, at around 5.30pm on Wednesday. Thames Valley Police confirmed that the boy?s family have been informed and his death was being treated as ?unexplained but not suspicious?. It comes after a number of similar deaths resulting from open water swimming during a record-breaking heatwave, which saw temperatures climb to 35.1C in Kew Gardens, west London, on Tuesday.
Police, fire and ambulance services attended the scene in Oxford on Wednesday (Picture: Google Maps)

The body of a 14-year-old boy has been found in the River Thames.

Emergency services were called to an area of the river near Donnington Bridge, Oxford, at around 5.30pm on Wednesday.

Thames Valley Police said the boy’s death was being treated as ‘unexplained but not suspicious’ and that his family had been informed.

This marks the 11th water-related death since the UK was plunged into a record-breaking heatwave late last week, nine of whom were young people.

Declan Sawyer, 15, was the first teenager to be found dead when his body was recovered from Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln on Sunday.

Sign up for all of the latest stories

Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.

The body of a 14-year-old boy has been recovered from the River Thames making him the 11th person to die in water-related incidents during the recent heatwave. Police, fire and ambulance services were called to the River Thames near Donnington Bridge, Oxford, at around 5.30pm on Wednesday. Thames Valley Police confirmed that the boy?s family have been informed and his death was being treated as ?unexplained but not suspicious?. It comes after a number of similar deaths resulting from open water swimming during a record-breaking heatwave, which saw temperatures climb to 35.1C in Kew Gardens, west London, on Tuesday.
Thames Valley Police confirmed the boy’s family had been informed (Picture: Google Maps)

That same day, a 72-year-old woman was pulled from the water at West Angle Bay beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Abbie Carmody-Pepper, 15, was pulled from the water at Burrow Beach in County Dublin.

On Bank Holiday Monday, a boy, named locally as 13-year-old Reco Puttock, died after being pulled from the Leadbeater Dam in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Lillianna Tomlinson, believed to be 16, was pulled from the water in Kingsbury Water Park, Warwickshire.

A tribute to 15-year-old Declan Sawyer from his father Carl. Declan tragically lost his life at Swanholme Lakes. "Our darling boy Declan was a funny and outgoing young man who loved his fishing and his football. He had a very cheeky smile and the personality to match. He was very much loved by his friends and family, and will be missed dearly by many. "With his tragic and unexpected passing on Sunday 24th May at Swanholme Lakes, we would like to raise awareness about children playing near any rivers or lakes in the hot weather. Please can all parents, friends and family make their children aware of the dangers surrounding water. "As a family we would like to have some privacy at this very sad and upsetting time to process our loss. Many thanks." Our thoughts are with Declan's family and we wish to reiterate to the media to respect the privacy of Declan's family. Our specially trained officers continue to support them.
Declan Sawyer became the first teenager to die in a water-related incident on Sunday (Picture: Lincolnshire Police)

A teenage boy was also pulled from a lake in Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

Phil Crow, 68, suffered a cardiac arrest while trying to save his wife and granddaughter after they were swept out to sea in Cornwall.

The youngest victim was 12-year-old Junior Slater, whose body was pulled from the River Ribble on Tuesday after he ‘got into difficulty’ in the water.

A hero grandfather died trying to save his nine-year-old granddaughter after she was pulled out to sea at a Cornish beach. Phil Crow, 68, lost his life as he bravely entered the water at Tregirls Beach near Padstow, to try to rescue Sia Briskham after a sudden change in the tide on Bank Holiday Monday. His wife of 50 years Tina, 68, was also pulled out to sea and had to be rescued by a passing boat before being checked by a paramedic. Mr Crow suffered a 'cardiac arrest in the sea' while bravely trying to rescue them on the bank holiday afternoon. He was tragically pronounced dead at the scene. Tina and Sia were brought to safety by members of the public.
Phil Crow, 68, died trying to save his wife and granddaughter after they were pulled out to sea (Picture: Supplied)

On Wednesday, Cheshire Police found a body in Pickmere Lake while searching for a 17-year-old boy who went missing while swimming.

The body of another teenage boy was also recovered at Hawley Lake near Farnborough.

It comes as the UK continues to endure a record-breaking heatwave.

Tuesday was the hottest May day on record when Kew Gardens in London reached 35.1°C, smashing the previous record – set the day before – by a staggering two degrees.

A spokesperson for the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) said it is too early to say whether the number of water-related deaths during this heatwave is ‘unusual’.

FALMOUTH, ENGLAND - MAY 26: Sunbathers gather early on on Gyllyngvase Beach, on May 26, 2026 in Falmouth, England. The UK has recoded the hottest May temperature on record with a blistering 34.8??C registered at Kew Gardens. Overnight temperatures also reached a record-breaking 21.3??C, marking the country's first-ever spring "tropical night." This extreme heatwave has triggered Amber Heat-Health Alerts across central and southern England. (Photo by Hugh R Hastings/Getty Images)
The UK has experienced some unseasonably hot weather in recent days (Picture: Hugh R Hastings/Getty Images)

But the NWSF said hot weather often correlates with an increase in accidental drownings.

The spate of deaths has prompted the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) to issue a water safety warning, urging swimmers to be aware that water temperatures remain cold even in extreme heat.

They said cold water shock can make swimming and exiting the water harder.

(Visited 6 times, 1 visits today)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *